Kinds of Flowering Ivy

Boston Ivy

• Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Boston ivy flowers in June and July, with the green-white flowers small and inconspicuous. Cultivars such as "Ginza Lights" produce bluish berries; this variety blooms from June into August. "Fenway Park," when planted in direct sun, features yellow-green foliage, but the leaves lack the yellow hues when this vine is planted in shade. Boston ivy is deciduous and grows 30 to 50 feet, attaching itself to walls, trellises and arbors. Refrain from using it on wooden buildings, though, since the vines will grow under shingles and cause damage.

English Ivy

• Evergreen leaves up to 4 inches long are the main feature of English ivy (Hedera helix). The vines grow along the ground or up and onto walls. English ivy flowers late in spring, but only on mature vines. The fruit they generate is poisonous, about ¼ inch in diameter and black. English ivy, a plant from Asia, Africa and Europe, comes in many cultivars, with some displaying cold hardiness to USDA zone 5. "Purpurea" has purple-tinted foliage, while "Thorndale" has big leaves featuring white vines and a glossy appearance.

More Flowering Ivies

• The green flowers of grape ivy (Cissus alata) develop in summer and yield dark-colored berries. Native to the tropics of Central and South America, grape ivy is evergreen and grows as long as 10 feet. Grape ivy has dark-green foliage and grows outdoors in USDA zones 10 through 12, because of its tropical nature. Bullock's heart ivy (Hedera colchica) is a late-blooming form of ivy. The "Dentata Variegata" cultivar flowers in September and October; the flowers are green-white and attract bees. This ivy is suitable for USDA zones 6 through 9.

Flowering Ivy Uses

• The ability of many flowering ivy plants to handle shade allows for their use underneath trees as a ground cover. Types such as Bullock's heart ivy crowd out weeds, preventing their growth. Flowering ivy species work well as ground cover, with varieties such as English ivy able to grow over and hide stumps and rocks. These ivies also climb trellises, walls and fences. Use them to stop soil erosion on slopes and hillsides on your property.